European Breakdown

Roadside assistance in Europe from just £6

European Breakdown Cover

If you're driving in Europe you'll need comprehensive cover & the security of European roadside assistance. Our Comprehensive Plus cover is the BEST European breakdown cover policy in the market. We'll ensure your vehicle is fixed at the roadside or towed to the nearest garage - and we can provide recovery services in 49 different countries with both short term and annual policies available.

Unlike other providers, we've got flexible options to suit you - providing various lengths of cover for vehicles of any age, including classic cars, and we provide cover if you're towing too. Get instant cover online today or if you need any help you can call our dedicated team on 0330 332 8302.

24/7 English-speaking helpline

Defaqto 5 Star Comprehensive Plus cover

The BEST cover in the market1

Our cover levels

Standard

From £6*

Up to £1,250 roadside assistance in Europe

We’ll pay up to £150 garage labour costs2

Up to £400 accommodation expenses or up to £400 to continue your journey

Up to £500 or the market value if lower, to get your vehicle back to the UK, providing your vehicle is not beyond economical repair

European Breakdown Cover Explained

What is European Breakdown Cover?

If you’re planning to drive in Europe, you’ll need the reassurance of breakdown cover. Although you might have breakdown cover at home, in the UK, when you’re driving abroad you won’t be covered under the same policy so you must get specialist European breakdown cover. Whether you’re driving short distances in one country or planning a longer road trip in Europe, it can prove invaluable.

It’s another cost, in addition to all the other costs you’ll incur, during a visit to Europe - such as fuel, and of course, the price of your holiday to start off with. But, it’s a price almost certainly worth paying. It can be distressing enough breaking down a couple of miles from your home, in an area you know, but doing so in a foreign country on unfamiliar roads is a worrying experience. It might even spoil your holiday.

Knowing you can call on roadside assistance and recovery if you need it gives you peace on mind when you’re on your travels. Without European Breakdown Cover, you could potentially face significant costs to get your vehicle repaired or recovered, being towed to a nearby garage for further work.

Depending on how serious the problem is, your vehicle might have to be transported back to the UK for extensive repairs. And, if you’re left in a European country without the means to continue your journey, breakdown cover can cover you for onward travel. You might be able to get a replacement hire car or secure overnight hotel accommodation. The level of cover depends on the breakdown policy you take out, so do check the terms and conditions before buying.

European Breakdown Cover need not be as expensive as you might think. You can tailor your cover specifically to your holiday if you prefer - the RAC has single trip European Breakdown Cover available, starting from just a single day - as well as annual policies.

You should be certain that your European Breakdown Cover is valid in the country you’re driving in. With the RAC, cover is available in 49 different countries but these are rated in a range of zones. If you need breakdown cover in France, Germany and Spain, for example, you’ll need to make sure you’re covered in Zone 1 and Zone 2. France and Germany are in Zone 1, while Spain are in Zone 2.

For more information on European Breakdown Cover and advice on driving when abroad, read our guides.

Countries Covered

Our policies can be extended to cover up to 49 countries, you’ll struggle to find European Breakdown Cover as comprehensive as ours. The covered countries are separated into Zones, allowing you to easily select the best cover for you and your trip.

If you’d like to learn more about driving in these countries, click the country name to read our extensive guides which include local driving laws, travel advice, parking regulations and fuel availability.

Our Service

Do you know the French for flat battery? (it's batterie à plat)

We have been helping motorists in Europe for over 100 years so we know how stressful it can be when your car breaks down. It can be even worse when it is in a different country where you may not be able to speak the language.

An experienced case handler to manage your breakdown from start to finish

Our technical experts will liaise with the garage to ensure you only pay for repairs you need

We will cover the costs of dispatch for any replacement parts - please note we will not pay for the costs of the parts

Average time to attend in France was 50 minutes†

93% of calls were answered in under 15 seconds

62% of all breakdowns in Europe are dealt with on the same day

English speaking incident managers on call 24/7 to help manage the repairs, towing and if needs be alternative travel or accommodation arrangements

Up to 18 different languages spoken by our team

RAC's urgent message relay can let your relatives or close business associates know what's going on

Based on data collated between January 2015 and December 2015 on service levels in Europe (unless otherwise specified).

5 Star European Breakdown Cover

RAC Comprehensive European Breakdown Cover has been awarded a 5 star rating by Defaqto.

European Breakdown FAQs

Q. Why do I need European breakdown cover?

Suffering car problems is problematic at the best of times, but the situation can feel much worse far away from home. If you're driving outside the UK, you need to be covered for specific European vehicle breakdown, so that you can benefit from European roadside assistance and European roadside recovery.

Even if you have UK breakdown cover in place, you shouldn't just assume that your vehicle has the same level of place abroad as at home. If you're planning on driving in Europe - taking a holiday in France or Spain, for example - you should make sure you have cover. If not, it's time to start looking up European breakdown policies. You can read more about the need for European breakdown cover here.

Q. What level of European breakdown cover do I need?

If you're a regular driver in several different European countries, then you might consider taking out an annual policy which you can add as an optional extra alongside your annual UK breakdown cover. It's comprehensive, covering vehicles that have broken down at the roadside as well as being recovered to a nearby local garage - so that's European roadside assistance and European roadside recovery taken care of.

We also provide cover for short visits or day trips which you can explore on our single trip page

Q. What countries are included in RAC European breakdown cover?

You'll struggle to find many European breakdown policies that are as comprehensive in its coverage. This policy provides European vehicle breakdown cover in 48 countries in continental Europe.

Of course, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Belgium are included, as is the Republic of Ireland. But this policy also covers European breakdowns in a range of other countries, including Albania, Armenia, Gibraltar, Moldova, Macedonia, Serbia and many more. This means drivers will have access to European recovery services in virtually every country.

Q. Can I find cheap European breakdown cover?

Yes, as cover is available on a single trip basis as well as annually. The RAC has three different policies, so you can compare European breakdown cover across these variations. Standard starts from just £6, Comprehensive is from £7 and the price of Comprehensive Plus begins at £9. Our RAC Comprehensive Plus policy has a Defaqto 5 Star rating, and includes garage labour costs up to £1,000 and unlimited emergency European roadside assistance and repair.

Q. Can I just get cover for a family holiday in Europe?

You can - the RAC has flexible options so you can, if you wish, just get relatively cheap European breakdown cover for two weeks in France during the summer, for example. This allows you to tailor your breakdown cover exactly for your requirements, selecting the dates of your travel, the number of the people in the vehicle, and the European areas you'll be driving in. Cover will obviously be cheaper for a family of four spending a week in France than a football team touring several European countries for a month.

Q. Are all countries covered by all RAC European breakdown policies?

They are in our most comprehensive annual European breakdown policies. But we also allow motorists to pick and choose only the countries they will be driving in, and divide these countries into zones. Zone 1 covers France, Belgium, Monaco, the Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Andorra, Germany and Luxembourg; Zone 2 includes Spain, Italy and others. Zone 3 includes Poland, Greece, Ukraine and the Russian mainland.

Think carefully before taking out European roadside recovery - if you're visiting a country once for a short period, it makes sense to look at specific European personal cover. If you're visiting several countries more than once during a period of time, an annual policy, offering excellent all-round European roadside assistance, could well be worth it.

Q. Will European breakdown cover help to get my car back to the UK?

If required, our European breakdown policies can help to get your car safely back to the UK - or repatriation, in other words. Again, there are different levels of cover depending on your policy. Standard has vehicle repatriation cover of up to £500, Comprehensive has cover up to the market value of the insured vehicle, and Comprehensive Plus has unlimited cover. This is providing your vehicle is not beyond economical repair.

Q. What vehicles are eligible for European Cover?

We insure most vehicles types and we also cover vehicles that are towing caravans or trailers so long as they meet the following criteria. The insured vehicle must be one of the following and must be permanently registered in the United Kingdom, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man as a private vehicle: car, motorcycle 121cc or over, motor caravan, motor home, minibus fitted with not more than 17 seats including driver, light van, estate car, MPV, or 4x4 sport utility vehicle.

The vehicle must also have:

A maximum legal laden weight of 3,500kg (3.5 tonnes). This weight is called the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM)